Local Celebrity

Derek has had a GREAT senior basketball year.  They won the district championship and we are off to the state tournament in Boise this week.  He has been in the paper after every game.  Not only does his coach say great things about him the other coaches also have rave reviews about his ability to drive to the hoop or make a clutch 3 pointer.  He only received one article with bad press because he didn't make all his free throws that game. hahaha  He didn't want me to cut that one out!  It was kinda sad last Thursday when they won the District Championship because that will be the last time he plays in the Bear Den:(  We have watched him play many games in that gym.  He has a group of 5 seniors this year that have played basketball together since they were in 4th grade.  They haven't branched out much either.  These are still Derek's best friends.

5th grade

Seniors
Josh Helbling, Aaron Donaldson, Derek, Lane Brooks & Dan McGurkin

Front Page

This is the regional paper called the Spokane Review

Some lovin' from the fans!  hahahaha

Family Picture after winning Districts and yes that is mini Derek that Grace is holding :)

Ok that's a foul!

Derek driving to the hoop

They just can't stop the kid :)

and thats a 3!

MIssing some little people :(

Missing someone is your heart's way of reminding you that you love them.  Well I must really love these two rug rats!  Jackie came to visit for Derek's Senior night (basketball post to follow soon) and stayed for  a week and a half!  We loved having them.  they are doing so much stuff.  Talking, crawling, walking, and so very cute!  My Niece Shae also came for her 16th Birthday!  We had a great weekend with her celebrating!  We also miss her!  We are still busy with Basketball and Grace is now playing volleyball so we are keeping out of trouble:)

at the grocery store

They were sad when Shae had to go home.  Goofs!

Shae is 16!  Woot Woot!

just trying a little bit of snow

Weston loved pushing his sister in the doll stroller.  

Watching Grace on the Tramp 

Getting uncle Derek

snuggling with Grandpa

Traditional Valentines day in the Pennington Houshold - Personal Pan pizza's ( except Derek he gets a whole pizza to him self!  haha) and strawberry daiquiri's!  Steve gets each of us girls a charm to go on our bracelets.  Grace got a volleyball, Savannah got a license charm, Lauren got a San Diego Temple, Jackie got a graduate and I got a runner. - He said I got a runner because he couldn't find a stress fracture charm ( that I got because of running and struggled with for most of the year!) and I was the best wife but the worst patient!  hahahaha

Grace at her first Volleyball Tournament!  Go Moscow!

Happy Birthday Steve!

“I am satisfied that happiness in marriage is not so much a matter of romance as it is an anxious concern for the comfort and well-being of one’s companion. Any man who will make his wife’s comfort his first concern will stay in love with her throughout their lives and through the eternity yet to come”  From Gordon B. Hinckley


He's the greatest husband & father!  It is hard to really celebrate his birthday because he is soooooo busy!  He had a ward conference, interviews, got called into the ER multiple times and it was the super bowl!  We managed to have his Birthday dinner of Hamburgers and some Keylime pie and mudslide ice-cream about 6:00 just in time to watch the end of the Super Bowl with him:)  Get ready family....... Next year Darren and Steve turn 50!  Laurel and I are thinking a trip or cruise to New Zealand might need to be in the plans!  Or Disney just announced a 12 day cruise in Europe!

Sister's Trip

This year our sister's trip was to Disneyland and we all signed up and ran a 5K at 10:30pm - Crazy time for a 5K.  It was a fast and fun weekend!  I love my Sister's and Sister-in-laws!  My Mom was a trooper. A few years ago she was diagnosed with Parkinsons and it has really slowed her down.  We talked her into letting us push her in the wheel chair and boy did she have a 5K WILD RIDE!  Shannon, Mindy and I took turns pushing her and we only ran into one person.  oops!  There were over 4000 people running this 5K.  It was like a Cattle Drive so it was hard to run with a wheelchair and maneuver around people.  But we did our best!  HAHAHA I think my mom kept her eyes closed most of the run! My sister Shannon is sooooo competitive she almost didn't let our poor little  mom take a bathroom stop half way because it would wreck our time! HAHAHAHA  We teased her the rest of the weekend for that one!  We did great ended up about 38 min with a bathroom stop and pushing a wheel chair!  My mom said she felt like she had been on a motorcycle ride! :) She was a good sport!   We spent the next day playing at Disney and California Adventure & stayed up late talking!  It was a Great Weekend and I miss everyone!  I think we should do it once a month!:)

Here we are before the race

DISNEYLAND with NO kids!  Who knew it would be So fun!

my mom crossing the finish line

A quick beach trip - it's part of being a Johnson - You LOVE the Ocean!

Dirty Bear trying to eat my food!